“Can I use a Baofeng handheld without a licence?” This is one of our most common questions. Here’s our answer, which applies to UK usage:
What is a Baofeng?
It’s a brand name for a very popular make of cheap handheld radio, favoured by radio amateurs and other radio enthusiasts.
Common models include the Baofeng UV-5R , Baofeng UV-B6 and the Baofeng 888
Can I use it for amateur radio?
Yes, if you have a licence. Many amateurs use Baofeng, as they are cheap and powerful handhelds.
You can legally listen to amateur radio on a Baofeng, but to transmit, you need a valid amateur radio licence from Ofcom. This requires you to take the UK amateur radio “Foundation” licence. Typically, this involves about 6 hours of study, completing a few basic practical exercises, and taking a multiple-choice theory test. You can study with the help of a local amateur radio club, or online (with our Foundation Online course). There’s a fee to sit the exam (£27.50 as of 2020) and the Ofcom licence itself is free.
Once you have your licence, you can use a handheld radio on the frequency range 144 to 146MHz, and 430 to 440MHz, which are allocated for amateur radio use. Radios like the popular Baofeng UV-5R can access both of these ranges.
It is perfectly legal to listen to amateur radio on a Baofeng without a licence.
Can I use it for PMR 446MHz?
Legally, no.
Licence-free consumer short-range “walkie talkie” handhelds that you can buy on the high street are generallly known as “PMR” (Private Mobile Radio) and in the UK use the frequency range 446.0 to 446.2MHz. Provided that the radio equipment complies with certain technical requirements, it can be used without a licence.
Technically, Baofengs can be programmed to work on the UK PMR frequencies (446MHz), however, it’s not legal to transmit on those frequencies using a Baofeng. Here’s why: PMR446 equipment is not permitted to transmit over a maximum power of 0.5 watts. Baofeng radios normally transmit at 5 watts, or 8 watts. Some Baofengs do have a low-power setting, but this is at least 1 watt (or more), so even on low power, they transmit more power than is legal in the UK for the PMR446 allocation.
Many argue that no-one will know (or care) if you transmit 1 watt instead of 0.5 watts, and anyone doing so does so at their own risk, but the official answer as we understand it, is “No – you can’t use a Baofeng legally on 446MHz if it is exceeding 0.5 watts on transmit”. It is perfectly legal to listen to PMR446 on a Baofeng handheld though.
Note there are other restrictions for equipment that’s used for PMR446 – Notably that the radio must have a fixed antenna (one that can’t be removed) and must comply with certain technical standards defined in the Ofcom guidance documents (as identified by the CE Mark).
More reading: Ofcom’s PMR446 Information Sheet
Can I use it for Ofcom Business Licence?
If you want to use Baofeng radios legally, and don’t want an amateur radio licence, then this is another option – The Ofcom Business Simple UK Licence. At the time of writing, this is available online from Ofcom – £75 for 5 years. Apply online here. You can take out a licence for a company, individual, as a sole trader, or as a group/charity.
With this licence, you’ll be allowed to use a selection of frequencies in the 164MHz, 169Mhz, 173Mhz and 449MHz ranges. Power limit for this licence is 5 watts, the standard power for most Baofeng models.
Are there any frequencies I can transmit on without a licence?
No. Not legally.
Listening using a Baofeng Radio?
You can use a Baofeng to listen to amateur radio. We have a page on the subject – See Listening in to amateur radio.
Hopefully, that’s helped. If you have any questions, please ask below…
BAOFENG BF – 88A/E (PMR 446), has transmission power: 0.5 watts.
Does that mean, it can be used without licence???
Thanks
Not in the UK. The document from Ofcom (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/85156/ir_2009_analogue_and_digita1.pdf) describes the type of equipment that can be used. It can’t have a removal antenna (which the 88A/E does) and has to conform to a specified standard and bear the CE Mark.
Hallo Pete
I just happened to read your useful advice on the Baofeng radios. I bought one recently but I am finding extremely difficult to buy a programming cable that has software and chip compatible with Windows 10, to access CHIRP.
Any advice?
Baofeng tech do one directly for around £7. I bought a knock off before and it was a dud. I can recommend them though.
Why go through the pain and hassle of installing the driver for that old programming cable in Windows 10 when you can do it painlessly with the Painless Programming Cable from XLT!
How about on the industrial scientific allocation?
”
Voice applications
are allowed with
advanced mitigation
techniques. Other
audio and video
applications are
excluded.
434.04 – 434.79 MHz
10 mW e.r.p
”
Anyone know anything about this?
10mW is 0.01 watts – Even if a Baofeng were to be capable of transmitting at a hundredth of a watt, what do you think the range would be? As above – get a Foundation licence (kids of 8 can pass), or if you don’t think you’ll pass, by an Ofcom Business licence.
I donot know why thay do no make
The baofang legal £75 is a bit much
And thar are ham uses swearing and playing music on frequencies
When all I want to do is talk to people around the world
To clarify, both the BF-88A & E do have fixed antennas.
Baofeng 88A doesn´t have a removable antena only baofeng 888s have a removable antenna
Getting a license isn’t that difficult. Why would you want to spend the money on the radio you can’t use. If you’re going to transmit on it you better make sure it’s an emergency. The FCC is cracking down on people that do not have licenses
This is Essex mate, FCC has nothing to do with that.
I would like to get a Baofeng UV-5R to talk to my friends locally as a walkie talkie, is this allowed?
Technically you’d all need a licence. In practice though, with thousands of walkie-talkies being sold on eBay all the time, with power output far above 0.5w and using frequencies not in the PMR446 range and probably being given to kids to play with by unaware parents, I doubt anyone is going to come pounding on your door…
Is it legal to use the Baofeng UV-9R in the UK to transmit on marine band? I do have the appropriate licence for this.
What is the correct programing cable that works for the bf-h6 model
I have noticed that so many people are buying these radios now by people with no clue about radio and just want some cheap walkies and use them right out the box without programming them.
If using the business simple uk license, do you still have call sign or station I’d?
With the business licence, you do not get a callsign, do not need a calsign, and do not have to identify yourself.
Whilst of course you do not get a callsign with a business licence, many businesses/groups/charities will issue their own “internal” callsigns which are useful in the case of multiple operators. There will be a designated licence holder and they may well keep a list of the locations where equipment is usually kept, together with equipment details, useful in the event of complaints and echoing the conditions of amateur licences.
A few years ago, I took the Marine Band VHF examination and obtained the licence. Is this good for anything ‘CB’ orientated? Not having looked into the domestic CB market I guess it must have similarities?
Just a random Internet surfer dropping by to say thanks for the informative post. I was about to buy these so my son and I can chat but no realise that would be illegal, which is a shame. Thanks for the information
Hi am wondering if the bf-88e is legal to use in UK without a licence https://www.baofengradio.co.uk/20-x-baofeng-bf-88e-pmr446-walkie-talkies-long-range-two-way-ham-radio-free-programming-cable/
Read the article, it explains very clearly
I there Everyone. I am looking to buy radio for talky talky with friends and family in UK is it legal to do so or she’ll find different radio then BAOFENG UV-5R?
Thanks in advance.
yeah get a foundation license. kids can do it.
then you can legally do CQ and nothing else.
scam. Make radio free for all. Include the dodgy tests if one must, but why limit foundation users to basically saying hello and goodbye on limited bands. Is it elitism ?
Clearly you’ve been misinformed or watching the wrong YouTube clips!
Foundation offers 17 bands between 1.357kHZ and 10.5GHz (including worldwide HF and amateur satellite). Restrictions at Foundation: you can’t design & build your own transmitter until Intermediate, limit on tranmsit power and a few extra (more sensitive) bands, and you can’t operate outside of UK territory until you’ve got a Full licence.
As for what you can and can’t say – I’ve not idea who told you “CQ and nothing else”, but that’s not true. The rules on messages are the same for all amateurs – basically you can’t use it for business purposes, no abusive behaviour, and no deliberate interference to others.
As for free? The amateur radio licence is “free for life” – no annual fee. There is an entry exam (with a one-off fee), which is not elitism – it’s to make sure you know what you’re doing, don’t cause interference and understand the safety issues. As you say, kids can pass it, and it’s not particularly difficult. Amateur radio is worldwide, and unlikely to go “licence free” as it’s an international standard.
Perhaps check out the facts for yourself, or maybe even take a Foundation course for yourself and get the true picture!
I think they should take some advice from the Civil Aviation Authority, an online test to get a flyer ID is free, after completion, you only pay for an operator ID which doesn’t require a test. Therefore no money is wasted. It’s also generally a much smoother proccess.
Clearly you’ve been misinformed or watching the wrong YouTube clips. Perhaps check out the facts for yourself, or maybe even take a Foundation course for yourself and get the facts!
Hi
I bought a Baofeng III band to do some early stage tests on some scientfic instrument equipment for emissions of interfering signals and also for testing for susceptability of the same instrument to signals over the same bands. So I can scan (listen) over the bands without causing legal mayhem looking for stray signals, I understand. However, if I send a tone signal over the range and confirm the strength with my SDR, and look for interference on my instrument I am breaking the law unless I get a full license? If I found someone with a full license and got them over for a day or three, would that cover me? I was also looking around for somebody with a massive steel silo we could hire that would act as a faraday cage. If a second Baofeng III could not pick up the signal outside this silo, would we still need our licensed operator?
I know this is probably beyond the scope of your original article, but finding anybody who knows about this stuff is challenging.
Hi Richard. You’ll be able to do the experiments you’re suggesting with a simple Foundation licence (no need for a Full licence). Foundation is a simple 26-question multiple-choice exam, and gets you a lifetime licence. We offer a free course if you need it (www.hamtrain.co.uk).
Failing that, if you know someone with an amateur radio licence, they’d be able to send test messages.
If that’s not an option, you can buy a licence-free radio (PMR446) which allows transmissions at 0.5 watts on 446MHz
Hope that’s a help, Pete
Hi Pete,
We are looking at getting the UV-R5 in the family for three of us. We will each do the appropriate course to gain the licence.
My question is, is there any way that we can use a channel just for us? Is this something that would become available at a higher licence level?
Also, we travel in a motorhome around the UK – will we be able to operate these anywhere within the mainland?
Thank you.
Hi Jqd,
With amateur radio, you have access to a range of frequencies, and any radio amateur can use them, so there’s no concept of a private channel (at any licence level). At the entry-level Foundation licence, you can operate from mainland UK as well as Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
Pete
Thank you
Hi having purchased two Baofengs prior to obtaining licence here is some `Baofeng awareness’. Not all is as it seems with various models available online. One please note a model UV-15R (999 Chnl) It will not work with chirp has its own very simple programing interface and stores files differently to chirp and is called P15UV CPS I was so upset I complained and bought a UV-5R out of curiosity to compare the two. The PUV-15R does have a minor advantages ie. slightly larger screen and 999 chnl. The UV-5R tri band is more the real deal but has slightly smaller ergonomics. I can get into GB3NB a 20 mile away repeater on both handsets which is nice I live in a village which is somewhat elevated reception is 5/9 upstairs and in kitchen same near window. 73’s